Irish premier calls for united EU voice on Gaza crisis

By Aysu Bicer

LONDON (AA) – The Irish premier on Thursday called on all 27 EU member states to unite in support of an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.

Talking to the media at the doorstep of the EU leaders’ summit in Brussels, Leo Varadkar said the EU’s response to the “appalling crisis in Palestine has not been its finest hour."

He warned against any Israeli ground offensive in Rafah, where over 1.4 million Palestinian civilians are currently sheltering.

"Israel must not launch a ground offensive in Rafah, where over a million Palestinians have fled for safety," Varadkar said.

"Recent initiatives to get more aid into Gaza by sea and by air are essential, but it’s vital that more aid is allowed into Gaza by road to end the looming famine," he added.

"Aside from an immediate cease-fire, the best chance we have for peace and justice is if the US and Europe lead a process towards a two-State solution resulting in a Palestinian State," he said.

Nearly 32,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children, have since been killed in Gaza, and nearly 74,200 injured amid mass destruction and shortages of necessities.

The Israeli war, now in its 167th day, has pushed 85% of Gaza’s population into internal displacement amid a crippling blockade of most food, clean water, and medicine, while 60% of the enclave's infrastructure has been damaged or destroyed, according to the UN.

Israel stands accused of genocide at the International Court of Justice, which in January issued an interim ruling ordering Tel Aviv to stop genocidal acts and take measures to guarantee that humanitarian assistance is provided to civilians in Gaza.